For Immediate Release

MADRID, SPAIN/EWORLDWIRE/Sep. 28, 2004 --- Miguel Angel Sanchez Fornie, Director de Sistemas de Control y Telecomunicaciones at Iberdrola, headquartered in Madrid, Spain, has been appointed the first Chairman of the European Board of Directors of the United Telecom Council (UTC).

UTC is the telecommunications and information technology trade association for electric and gas utilities, water companies, energy companies, and other critical infrastructure companies. Founded in 1948, and until recently known as the Utilities Telecommunications Council, UTC is now an international federation of direct business members and affiliated trade associations representing over 10,000 organizations worldwide.

With technology rapidly changing the role of telecommunications in Europe's electric, gas and water utilities and energy companies, many UTC members are using their vast experience in building and managing sophisticated telecommunications networks to enter Europe's new competitive telecoms markets, while continuing to improve support for their core businesses. Many are also facing issues around the introduction of new wireless communications systems and managing internal telecoms businesses in a shared services environment.

To meet this need, UTC has created a uniquely European program that will build on UTC's 60 years of experience that will be designed for Europeans, will be uniquely European in focus, and will be led by a European Board of Directors.

"I have been actively involved with UTC for years," said Sanchez Fornie. "The information I have received and insights I have gained have proved to be invaluable. I am excited by the prospect of a new UTC program focused on our unique needs as Europeans. Now is the perfect time to do this," he added.

"We are indeed fortunate to have someone of Miguel's caliber and commitment to assume the leadership of our European Board," said UTC President/CEO, William R. Moroney, in making the announcement. "At a time when so much is in flux in Europe," he added, "he will bring a needed level of experience and commitment to finding European solutions to the challenges of the day."

In addition to announcing Sanchez Fornie's appointment as the Chairman of the UTC European Board of Directors, UTC also made the following announcements:

* Peter Moray, formerly of Mason Communications, has been appointed UTC's Director of European Services. Moray is based in the United Kingdom, will work directly with the European Board, and provide a staff focal point for all European members.

* UTC has entered into an arrangement with the London-based law firm of Simmons and Simmons to provide regular reports and guidance to the UTC European Board on energy, utility and telecom regulations impacting UTC members throughout Europe.

* The full European Board of Directors will be introduced at UTC's Annual European Utility Telecom Conference (EUTC), November 7-10, 2004, in Dublin.

For additional information please contact Peter Moray, UTC Director of European Services, at +44 (7710) 057-694 or peter.moray@utc.org. Web sites of special interest with more information are UTC's European web portal (www.europe.utc.org), where more information on Charter European Membership may be found, and the home page for the 2004 European Utility Telecom Conference (www.eutc.utc.org). For more information on Iberdrola, please visit the company web site at www.iberdrola.es.

The 2004 European Utility Telecom Conference represents the largest gathering of telecommunications and technology executives from Europe's electric, gas, and water utilities and their technology partners who are focused on exploring the latest telecommunications and data networking business solutions and business opportunities. EUTC 2004 is the only conference devoted to utility telecom issues in Europe that is created by and for European utilities and their technology partners.

Session topics will include in-depth case studies, regulatory updates, technology overviews, competitive telecom opportunities, standards updates, and an overview of the European Commission's PLC project, OPERA. Utility CEOs are increasingly asking questions about the telecom service delivery models, how to select and run competitive telecom ventures, how to apply new technologies to increase revenues, and how to secure telecom systems. EUTC 2004 will give answers to all of these questions.

About United Telecom Council

The United Telecom Council (UTC), formerly known as the Utilities Telecommunications Council is an international trade association whose members own, manage or provide critical telecommunications systems in support of their core business. Founded in 1948 to advocate for the allocation of additional radio spectrum for power utilities, UTC now represents over 10,000 electric, gas, and water utilities, natural gas pipelines and critical infrastructure companies who serve all corners of the world and virtually every community in North America.

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CONTACT:
Peter Moray
United Telecom Council

Washington, DC 20006
PHONE. 44 (7710) 057-694
EMAIL: peter.moray@utc.org
http://www.utc.org

SOURCE: United Telecom Council